In a statement on Crawley’s website, Stronach shared these thoughts on his candidacy:

“Mike Crawley is my choice for President of the Liberal Party of Canada. His dedication and commitment to modernizing the party and ensuring our members have a direct voice in policy development and the election of our Leader are issues that I also feel strongly about. Mike has the energy and proven long term track record of dedication to the Liberal Party which will make him an excellent President during this crucial time in our Party’s history. I urge all delegates to vote for Mike this January.”

Crawley is one of five Liberals vying to replace Alfred Apps as party president when the Liberals hold their biennial convention in mid-January. He is seen as a strong contender against frontrunner Sheila Copps, positioning himself as a more grassroots candidate. Copps has won the backing of former MPs and Senators, including past party president Senator Marie Poulin.

The presidential hopefuls will face off in an all-candidates debate at the convention on January 13.